57 



of beauty, so long as the water itself was 

 chiefly regarded. On the other hand, all 

 water of which the surface is broken, and 

 the motion abrupt and irregular, as univer- 

 sally accords with our ideas of the pictu- 

 resque; and whenever the word is men- 

 tioned, rapid and stony torrents and 

 waterfalls, and waves dashing against 

 rocks, are among the first objects that pre- 

 sent themselves to our imagination. The 

 two characters also approach and balance 

 each other, as roughness or smoothness, as 

 gentle undulation or abruptness prevail. 



Among trees, it is not the smooth young 

 beech, nor the fresh and tender ash, but the 

 rugged old oak, or knotty wych elm that 

 are picturesque: nor is it necessary they 

 should be of great bulk; it is sufficient if 

 they are rough, mossy, with a character 

 of age, and with sudden variations in their 

 forms. The limbs of huge trees shattered 

 by lightning or tempestuous winds, are in 

 the highest degree picturesque; but what- 

 ever is caused by those dreaded powers of 



